ConcreteBases&SlabsinBournemouth&Poole
The layer everything else depends on, dug to depth, compacted properly and poured level, whether it is a shed base or a footing for an extension.
- Dug out and compacted to the depth the base actually needs
- Reinforced and finished level, whether it is a shed base or a footing
- Muck away included, plot left clean
- 2 yearsWarranty on work
- Owner-ledOne team throughout
- In-houseBy our own team
- CSCS · SSSTS · NVQ 2Qualified team
A Concrete Base or Slab, Built to Take the Load
A concrete base is the flat, load-bearing platform everything else sits on, from a garden shed to an extension floor. We dig out to the right depth, compact a sub-base in layers, then pour and finish the slab, reinforced where the load calls for it. It suits anyone building on ground that has to carry real weight: builders setting out footings, developers handing over a plot, and homeowners putting up a shed, garage or garden room that needs to stay flat for years, not just the first winter.
How We Handle Your Concrete Base, Start to Finish
From set out to hand over, the same team does every stage.
- 01
Site Visit & Set Out
We visit, check the ground and set out the exact area and levels the base needs to be dug to.
- 02
Fixed Quote
A written quote from what we find on site, covering the dig, sub-base, reinforcement and finish.
03Dig, Pour & Hand Over
We dig to depth, compact the sub-base, pour and finish the slab, then leave the plot level and clean for the next trade.
15+
Years in groundworks and landscaping
35 miles
Working radius from our Bournemouth base
Fixed price
Itemised and agreed before we set out
Muck away
From the dig, priced into the base
Concrete Base or Something Lighter?
Not every base needs to be concrete. Here is how it compares to the alternatives, so the choice is based on what the ground and the load actually need.
| Poured concrete | Compacted hardcore | Paving slabs on sand | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load-bearing capacity | Handles a shed, garage, extension or vehicle | Fine for a path or a very light shed only | Limited, and moves under heavier weight |
| Stays level over time | Stays flat if the sub-base and falls are right | Settles unevenly without a slab on top | Slabs lift and rock as the sand below shifts |
| Suits | Extensions, garages, heavier sheds, hardstanding | Light-use paths and temporary bases | Small patios rather than load-bearing bases |
| Correcting it later | Rarely needs revisiting once poured properly | Needs topping up and re-levelling over time | Individual slabs can be lifted and relaid |
Swipe to see every column
What's Included as Standard
The same base build whether it is a shed, a garage or a footing.
Excavated to Depth
Dug out and reduced to the depth the base actually needs, not scraped to look level from the top.
Compacted Sub-Base
Hardcore laid and compacted in layers before anything is poured on top.
Reinforced Where It's Needed
Steel mesh or bar added where the load calls for it, not left out to save time.
Muck Away Included
Spoil removed from site as part of the job, not left for you to deal with.
Pricing
What a Concrete Base Costs
Priced off the size and the ground
A base is priced on how big it is, how deep it has to be dug, what comes out, and whether the slab needs reinforcing for the load going on top of it. A shed base and a footing for an extension are different jobs built on the same principle. We measure up and quote in writing.
- What moves it: area, dig depth, reinforcement and access for the pour
- Muck away from the dig is priced in
- Written and itemised before we set out
How a Concrete Base Gets Built
Priced and programmed off your drawings, then built in the same three stages every time.
Drawings, Visit & Set Out
We look at the drawings, visit site and set out exactly where the base sits and what depth it needs to be dug to.
Dig, Muck Away & Inspection
Excavated to depth, spoil removed from site, and the dig-out checked before anything gets poured.
Pour, Finish & Hand Over
Steel and shuttering where the base needs it, poured, finished level, and services in the ground before we hand the plot back clean.
Concrete Bases and Slabs We've Poured
A spread of bases and slabs across Bournemouth and Poole, from shed and garage bases to footings for extensions.
What Base Customers Say
Feedback from customers we have poured shed and summerhouse bases for around Bournemouth and Poole.
Nick Wood
We had the team come around this morning to install a shed base for us. Great communication during the booking and survey and left they the garden clean and tidy. Would 100% recommend. Thanks again Jacc
David Buss
Hired Four Groundworks & Landscaping to lay a concrete base for a new summerhouse I'm having installed and I'm extremely pleased with the job they did. Very thorough and not at all rushed and they worked exactly to a ground plan supplied by the summerhouse manufacturer. I wouldn't hesitate to use the company again for any gardening groundwork and landscaping. Excellent job done!
Recent Groundwork & Concrete Base Projects
A look at some of the groundwork completed across Bournemouth, Poole and the surrounding area.
Before the Diggers Arrive
The questions we get asked most before a base goes in.
Will the dig make a mess of the rest of the garden?
We sheet the path and access route and muck away as we go, rather than leaving spoil piled up until the end.
What if the base needs a digger and access is tight?
We use the right size of machine for the plot, including smaller kit where access is narrow, and talk it through before the day.
What if it settles or cracks later?
Every base is covered for two years. If it settles or shifts in that time, we come back and put it right.
Concrete Bases, Slabs and the Ground Beneath Them
The ground under a garden in Bournemouth or Poole is rarely just sand. A dig-out for a concrete base often goes through topsoil, then something gravelly or clayey, before it reaches anything close to sand underneath. That variation is exactly why a base gets priced after a look at the actual ground rather than a number over the phone.
An oversite concrete slab under an extension has to sit on ground that has been reduced to the right depth and compacted, with any services run through it before it is poured. Building control will want to see the sub-base and the inspection before the pour goes ahead, which is why the dig, the inspection and the pour happen in that order and not all in one visit.
A concrete base for a shed or garden building does not need the same depth as a footing, but it still needs a proper sub-base underneath it. Concrete slab laying straight onto grass or loose soil is the most common reason a shed base cracks or sinks within a couple of winters. Working with concrete base installers who dig out and compact first, rather than pouring onto whatever is already there, is what keeps it flat under the weight of the building and whatever goes inside it.
Concrete Base & Slab Questions
What people ask us before a base goes in.
What is the difference between a concrete base and a slab?
A base is what the ground is prepared to carry a structure, footing or hardstanding. A slab is the flat poured surface itself, whether that is a floor inside an extension or the top of a base outside. On most jobs you need both: the dig-out and sub-base, then the slab poured on top.
Do I need a concrete base for a shed?
A shed needs a firm, level base to stop it racking and the floor rotting from underneath, and concrete is the most durable option for anything with real weight in it. We dig out, compact a sub-base and pour to the size and thickness the shed actually needs.
How much does a concrete base cost?
It depends on the size, the depth needed and what the ground is doing underneath, so every base is priced after a visit rather than guessed over the phone. Get in touch with the size and what it is for and we will arrange a look.
How long does it take to pour a concrete base?
A shed or garden base is usually a short job. A footing or floor slab for an extension is priced and programmed off the drawings, because it depends on the plot and what else is going on around it.
Will it crack or sink later?
Not if the ground underneath has been dug out to depth and compacted properly first, which is the actual cause of most cracked or sunken bases. Every base we lay is covered for two years, and if anything does settle or shift, we come back and put it right.
What qualifications and accreditations do you hold?
CSCS, Street Works (NRSWA), SSSTS and NVQ Level 2, alongside a Diploma in Groundworks. The business is an approved Checkatrade member and holds Google Guaranteed status, with over 15 years in the industry behind it.
Looking for Something Else?
The rest of our groundworks and civils services.
01Drainage & Soakaways
For gardens that flood or patios that puddle, sized from an actual percolation test rather than a guess.
Learn more
02Percolation Testing
A trial pit test to size a soakaway correctly, or support building control and septic sign-off.
Learn more
03Site Clearance & Excavation
Clearing and digging out a plot before anything else can start.
Learn more
Where We Build Concrete Bases & Slabs
Bournemouth, Poole and the towns around them.
Ferndown
Groundworks and drainage preparation for building and garden projects around Ferndown.
Ferndown coverageWimborne Minster
Patio design and groundwork on the older plots around Wimborne Minster.
Wimborne Minster coverageRingwood
Groundwork and concrete bases behind full garden transformations around Ringwood.
Ringwood coverageVerwood
Concrete bases and groundwork setups for new builds and garden projects around Verwood.
Verwood coverageGet a free quote
Tell us what you need and we'll come back with a price. No pressure, no hard sell.
Prefer to talk? Call Four Groundworks & Landscaping on 07886 075828
Bases and slabs we have poured recently
Mesh, depth and the float finish all show before anything gets built on top of a base. Posted to our Instagram as each pour goes down.
See more on Instagram